Centro Medico
 

Having recently joined this astute organisation I am gobsmacked to learn that the only thing they will accept as payment for treatment is cash they did not even offer me a receipt. How on earth do they get away with this? I can even get my cat treated at the vets and pay by credit card!!!

I am also disturbed that there seems to be no price list as a guideline for treatment.

:sneaky:

Re: Centro Medico
 

I think it varies from place to place .... I went to the surgery at Oliva Nova for a full medical and I got a full printed receipt, copies of all the scans, a written medical report and all the ECG data and blood test results. I was able to pay by card.
I'd check before having treatment about costs. They were not cheap, but overall roughly what I was expecting for such a thorough medical.

Re: Centro Medico
 

We pay cash in Chiclana, they do not except debit card but I have seen peeps pay with credit card, get receipt but sometime have to ask for it, have to agree about price list.

Re: Centro Medico
 

I would have thought all medical centres in Spain should be singing from the same hymn sheet??

Re: Centro Medico
 

I get the impression that they may be franchises, or something like that.

Re: Centro Medico
 

According to this they have only 5 clinics in this region (1 franchise?)

http://www.centro-medico.com/

Re: Centro Medico
 

This is the one in the center of Chiclana.

Re: Centro Medico
 

They told me today that they do not accept credit or debit cards of any kind and all treatment has to paid in cash. How they get away with this is beyond me.

Re: Centro Medico
 

We were in there today (Chiclana) and saw someone paying with some sort of card at the desk but whenever I have asked I have been told no cards. Occasionally we have had receipts for treatment. But they seem to be very good at managing to lose the results of blood tests, this is the second time it has happened to us.

Re: Centro Medico
 

My opinion is.
If they are expecting ex pats to use this clinic then they will have to get their act together. They may think it is acceptable to treat their own kind in this fashion but I doubt very much foriegners will put up with it for long. Speaking for myself if things do not alter I will not be paying anymore subscriptions.

Re: Centro Medico
 

Mitzipur I know it must be annoying to find they do not take credit cards, but surely they can choose to do what they like. Most people take them for fear of losing custom, but if one's custom is assured, then why should they be expected to pay commission to the card agency ?? If they did prices would only have to rise. Perhpas they have two price lists.. one for the expats and one for the locals. I wonder if they see the expats who need private care.. ie unable to subscribe to the health service as being better off than the locals and operate a two tier system ?? Unfair, but then there are many places that do this sort of thing. Visiting a friend working in Venice who was known to the restaurants and bars we paid quite different prices to the tourists. And look at the Channel Islands which operate a two tier pricing structure for selling property.

Re: Centro Medico
 

[QUOTE=jo-ann;4405521]We were in there today (Chiclana) and saw someone paying with some sort of card at the desk but whenever I have asked I have been told no cards. QUOTE]

Were they credit cards or cards from private medical organisations? I can use my sanitas card at Centro Medico in Chiclana for example and not have to pay just as at any doctor or private clinic.

Re: Centro Medico
 

Hi Poollounger

I understand what you are saying about Credit Cards and fees - however if they are running a business there should be some record about paying for services. I shall be asking for receipts from now on as treatment is ongoing...

As for price lists being different for expats. At present there are no price lists at all I was told!!

Re: Centro Medico
 

[QUOTE=Lis48;4406897]Centro Medico in Oliva Nova don't work with Sanitas ... strange how they differ :confused:

Re: Centro Medico
 

[QUOTE=Mitzyboy;4407250]Like dentists in Britain....no consistency....some do NHS, some don't. Some do Denplan, and again some don't

Re: Centro Medico
 

I Use Centro Medico Regularly. Yes It Is Cash Only, However If You Have Private Health Insurance You Pay With Your Card Which Does Look Like A Credit Card. If Anybody Has Any Problems With C.m They Can Ask To See Everisto Who Speaks Perfect English - Being American. I Am Unsure Of His Position There Or How Many Hours He Works, But It Is To Help Ex-pats.

Re: Centro Medico
 

We joined Centro Medico in Chiclana four years ago and have had nothing but very good treatment from them. When we signed up, we were given a hand-written price list showing 24 hour free family doctor, male nurse and ambulance. As associates, specialist consultations are half price - around 20€
per consultation. A full blood test cost 30€.

We pay around 22€ a month for a whole family - if we had dependent children they would be included. The only really big hit is the cost of some medications with a private prescription.

We've always paid cash, as requested, and really don't find that a problem as there's an El Monte hole-in-the wall, with zero commission, round the corner opposite La Hacienda.

We rate them highly for speedy attention for acute conditions. For anything chronic we need to join the health centre because, as retired people, we'd get free treatment and prescriptions. Just need to gird my loins to face the
bureaucracy.

Re: Centro Medico
 

[QUOTE=GILLINCHICLANA;4456807]I Use Centro Medico Regularly. Yes It Is Cash Only, However If You Have Private Health Insurance You Pay With Your Card Which Does Look Like A Credit Card. If Anybody Has Any Problems With C.m They Can Ask To See Everisto Who Speaks Perfect English - Being American. I Am Unsure Of His Position There Or How Many Hours He Works, But It Is To Help Ex-pats.[/Q

Everisto is a great guy and is very helpfull. His postion in the clinic is to encourage more ex pats to use Centro Medico and assist them in any problems they experince through translating etc. However I think he is only there up to 2 oclock each day.

Re: Centro Medico
 

Could you please tell me who you contacted to get a price list for treatment I was told they did not have one. The system has it stands is open to abuse.I agree the cost is reasonable but my experience has led me to the conclusion that the quality of health care is not much better than than the state health center. My advice is to register at the center. If you go and make a appointment in the morning you can usually see a doctor the same day. If you require urgent medical attention you can see a doctor straight away. Yes of course another major plus is you get free medication. I still maintain it is crazy in this day and age to expect people to pay cash for treatment. After all this is the 21st century?:confused

Re: Centro Medico
 

Hi Mitzipurr - it was the clinic that approached us, as for the first three visits for an ear infection, I was paying 60€ each time for a consulta privada, not knowing about the Associate scheme.

Via Gloria, they explained the scheme and wrote out the benefits and fees. I would think that if you go to Admin upstairs, they would be able to help you.

Re: Centro Medico
 

Hi Arco Iris

By Admin upstairs do you mean the desk at the top of the stairs?

Really think it would be helpful if they had a printed out list for most treatments offered as unfortunately when I asked at the desk at the top of the stairs the price was just given verbally and quote "will be around 45 Euros!!"

Re: Centro Medico
 

Yes, Mitzi, office on the next floor, facing the stairs. All establishments in Spain have a notice about complaints. Maybe you could make a written suggestion that their prices be printed.

Good luck.

Re: Centro Medico
 

That rings a bell.......franchise, I mean.

Re: Centro Medico
 

Poollounger, do you realise that uk is still not offering.....in this day and age of european citizenship.......spanish national health, to those uk citizens who are entitled to same?

Re: Centro Medico
 

Oh My........I do hope these centro medico clinics now how intensive care facilities........if not, well hope all you non spanish people have papers available to give you access to same, should your life actually need to be saved.

Re: Centro Medico
 

This also happens in the UK - in a pub I know down the road the locals all have passes that they show to get the normal price beer and the tourists probably pay double that!

We went to the Centro Medical in Novo Sancti Petri a few years back for our son who had difficulty breathing. We were very scared when we arrived and even though we only spoke Spanglish they were really helpful and put us at ease straight away. Our son was much better only hours after going there. I am sure we paid by credit card then.

I have also found the farmacias really good too - they seem to give you a miracle cure every time you go in :)